1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to certain polyamines and polypeptides found to be present in the venom of the Agelenopsis aperta spider. The polyamines and the pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof antagonize excitatory amino acid neurotransmitters, which neurotransmitters affect cells including neuronal cells of a variety of organisms including invertebrates and vertebrates. The polypeptides and one of said polyamines and the pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof block calcium channels in cells including neuronal and muscle cells of various organisms including invertebrates and vertebrates. This invention also relates to the use of such polyamines and their salts in antagonizing excitatory amino acid neurotransmitters, which neurotransmitters affect cells such as cells in the nervous system of an organism, per se, in the treatment of excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter mediated diseases and conditions in a mammal and control of invertebrate pests, and to compositions comprising said polyamines and salts thereof. Further, this invention relates to the use of said polypeptides and one of said polyamines and their salts in blocking calcium channels in cells such as cells in the nervous and muscular system of an organism, per se, in the treatment of calcium channel mediated diseases and conditions in a mammal, and in the control of invertebrate pests, and to compositions comprising said polypeptides, polyamine and salts thereof.
2. Background of the Invention
It has been reported that the venom of the spider Agelenopsis aperta contains at least two toxins which affect calcium currents. Jackson, H., et al., Soc. Neu. Sci. Abstr. 12:1078 (1987). Those authors disclose a toxin, referred to therein as AG2, which has a molecular weight of less than 1,000 daltons and appears to suppress calcium currents in a broad range of tissues. Further, Jackson, H., et al., Soc. Neu. Sci. Abstr. 12:730 (1986) report another toxin from Agelenopsis aperta comprising a component of about 6,000 M.W. That toxin is reported to effect presynaptic blockade of transmission and it has been suggested that the toxin blocks calcium channels associated with the release of neurotransmitter.
Compounds which are excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter antagonists have a variety of utilities. Excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter antagonists can find clinical application in the treatment of such conditions as seizure, stroke, cerebral ischemia, neuronal degeneration disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy and as psychotherapeutants, among others. See Excitatory Amino Acids in Health and Disease, D. Lodge, Ed., John Wiley and Sons Ltd., New York, N.Y. 1988, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference. Further, such compounds are useful in the study of the physiology of cells such as neuronal cells and in the control of invertebrate pests.
Compounds which are calcium antagonists have a variety of utilities. Calcium antagonists can find clinical application in the treatment of such conditions as angina, hypertension, cardiomyopathies, supraventricular arrhythmias, aesophogeal achalasia, premature labor and Raynaud's disease among others. See W. G. Nayler, Calcium Antagonists, Academic Press, Harcourt Brace Javanovich Publishers, New York, N.Y. 1988, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference. Further, such compounds are useful in the study of the physiology of cells such as neuronal and muscle cells and in the control of invertebrate pests.